Where wealth matters more for health: The wealth–health gradient in 16 countries

Researchers have long demonstrated that persons of high economic status are likely to be healthier than persons of low socioeconomic standing. Cross-national studies have also demonstrated that health of the population tends to increase with country's level of economic development and to decline with level of economic inequality. The present research utilizes data for 16 national samples (of populations fifty years of age and over) to examine whether the relationship between wealth and health at the individual-level is systematically associated with country's level of economic development and country's level of income inequality. The analysis reveals that in all countries rich persons tend to be healthier than poor persons. Furthermore, in all countries the positive association between wealth and health holds even after controlling for socio-demographic attributes and household income. Hierarchical regression analysis leads to two major conclusions: first, country's economic resources increase average health of the population but do not weaken the tie between wealth and health; second, a more equal distribution of economic resources (greater egalitarianism) does not raise health levels of the population but weakens the tie between wealth and health. The latter findings can be mostly attributed to the uniqueness of the US case. The findings and their significance are discussed in light of previous research and theory.

► The article examines the strengths of the association between wealth and health of the older population in 16 countries.
► In all 16 countries rich people tend to be healthier than poor people net of income and socio-demographic characteristics.
► Country's economic resources increase average health of the population but do not weaken the tie between wealth and health.
► Greater egalitarianism does not raise health levels of the population but weakens the tie between wealth and health.